


The Harlot from Shiganshina

by L_Leonhardt



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - No Titans (Shingeki no Kyojin), Arranged Marriage, Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, Dead Carla Yeager, Dreams, Exile, Gang Rape, M/M, Manipulation, Prostitution, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Violence, Team as Family, Trials, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-26 18:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30110091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L_Leonhardt/pseuds/L_Leonhardt
Summary: Eren Jäger and Armin Arlert are childhood sweethearts who dream of getting married and traveling the world together.Their dreams are shattered when Nile Dok, a rich and powerful lawyer, asks for Eren’s hand in marriage and his father accepts.Eren would rather die than marry that man, so he and Armin plan their escape from Shiganshina, but the night of their departure, Eren is kidnapped. Unjustly accused and put on trial for a crime he didn’t commit, he’s exiled from his hometown and forced to sell his body on the streets to survive. With the help of Levi and Mikasa, two fellow street harlots, he finds the strength to go back on his feet and vows revenge against those who have ruined his life, without ever giving up on his dream to see Armin again
Relationships: Armin Arlert & Eren Yeager, Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Levi Ackerman & Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman & Eren Yeager
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	1. Dreams of the outside world

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my first Eremin fic. It's loosely based on one of my favorites novels, "Die Wanderhure".  
> Kinda started writing it on an impulse, it's probably not that great, but I hope you will like it ❤️  
> I will probably more tags as the story goes on

Shiganshina - Year 416

~

Armin felt the wind on his flustered skin and in his golden hair as he ran in the meadow. His laughters chimed like bells in the wind, as he ran and ran with Eren right behind him. He knew the brunet was going to catch him, he always did, but running around with him chasing him still gave him a rush of adrenaline he wouldn't have traded for anything in the world.

"I'm gonna get you!"

Armin laughed louder as he heard him approach, yielding once he felt his strong arms around his waist. Eren hoisted him up and spinned him around before they both fell on the thick, green grass that acted like a pillow.

Mirth shook both of their bodies as they relished in each other's presence. Happy to just be alive and be together, on that hot day of summer.

"What do you say we go for another swim before heading back?"

"I don't know, the sun will be going down soon, I don't think we'll dry up before- aahh!"

Armin was interrupted when Eren picked him up bridal style, already carrying him to the lake.

"Eren, wait!"

"C'mon Armin, I'll dry you up!"

The blonde's face reddened, and he yielded quite easily. There was no place, no adventure in the world where Armin wouldn't have followed him. Not when he looked at him with that wide smile and those emerald eyes so full of life.

After having played some more in the water, Armin and Eren were sitting on the grass, the taller boy was behind the brunet, using the towels they had brought to dry the blonde's hair energetically. It hurt a little, but as long as he could go back home dry and presentable and avoid a scolding from his mother, he didn't care. 

Once Eren was done, he wrapped his arms around him. His hair was stringy and his clothes still wet, but he had taken his shirt off to let it dry under the sun. Armin could feel Eren's bare skin against his back, he could feel each one of his defined muscles that he knew so well.

Eren was his sword and shield. He had always protected him, ever since they were little kids, and he hoped he would keep doing that forever.

"Eren, one day we're going to leave these walls together, right?"

Eldia had many enemies. That's why it was surrounded by high, impenetrable walls. People usually didn't leave Eldia, they were happy and content where they were. Not Armin and Eren though. For them, it wasn't enough.

"Of course we are! And we're going to see all those places you told me about. Lands of ice, fields of sand… uh, what else was there?"

Armin giggled, "Fire water! And most importantly, the ocean! An endless lake of salt water!"

Eren started laying kisses on Armin's shoulder. His lips lingered, sucking on his pale skin. The blonde turned around, locking his lips with the brunet's. His skin has turned a lovely bronze color, now that the summer had started. Eren's beauty was tantalizing. As Armin started leaving kisses on his neck, he couldn't believe the luck he had, that that beautiful creature had chosen him, that he wanted him and him alone. Eren laid on his back, as Armin went south, lips stopping on his nipple. He circled his areola with his tongue, then started sucking until it became hard. Eren let go of a small moan of pleasure. Armin loved when his voice sounded fragile like that, he loved being the only one able to elicit such sounds from him.

Eren buried his fingers in Armin's hair. There was the tiniest bit of guilt in his heart. Had his father known what he was up to, his skin wouldn't have seen the light of day for a long time. His father was adamant about him staying pure until marriage. And yet, the forbidden made the fruit taste even sweeter.

The things he would've done with Armin.

*

Eren walked back home humming. He was always elated whenever he spent time with his childhood friend, but he was even more after one of their make out sessions. His hair was still a bit stringy but his clothes at least we're now completely dry.

He stepped into his big house trotting, light hearted as always, until he stepped into the living room and froze in his tracks.

"Oh… good evening."

Sitting at the table with his father, there was Nile Dok, and various documents were lying on the mahogany table.

"Good evening, Eren." The man greeted him with a smile that made the boy uneasy, although he smiled back politely.

That man always gave Eren a bad feeling. He was a well known and respected lawyer in Shiganshina, he was polite and well mannered. Yet, there was something in him Eren couldn't quite place. Something that made his skin crawl.

"Eren, me and Mister Dok need to discuss some important things, go to your bedchambers and try not to make too much noise."

"Yes, father."

Eren curtsied politely, before gladly complying to his father's request. He wanted to be nowhere near that man.

"You have a precious jewel in your home, Grisha," the man told him, entranced by how Eren's beauty grew every time he saw him.

"I know, Eren is my pride and joy."

"You should be careful. Such a fine emerald, people might want it to snatch him away from you."

"What do you mean?"

"Listen, Grisha. I see Eren on the streets often. I see how both men and women look at him. And that blond kid he's always with? Don't you think they spent too much time alone together?"

"Armin? No, they can't be doing anything inappropriate. Eren told me they spend hours reading books. I trust my son."

"He's already sixteen, how long do you think it will take for him to give into carnal pleasure?"

Grisha brought a hand on his chin, pondering on the words of his wise friend, "You're right… but I can't lock him up in here. He's a free spirit, he'll try to break free and get himself hurt."

"Entrust Eren to me."

His proposal left Grisha flabbergasted. It was so sudden, he didn't even have time to register what his friend just said.

"What…?"

"Give me his hand in marriage. I can protect him, no one will touch him if he's bound to me."

Nile had a point. He was a noble, powerful and respected man. If Eren became his spouse, no one would have dared to touch him. He was going to lead a good life at his side. And he knew Nile would have respected and taken good care of him.

But would Eren have wanted that? He didn't even know Nile that well. But he was too young to know the dangers his beauty was going to put him through. He wouldn't have liked it, no.

"I will think about it."

*

The next morning, Eren and Armin were walking with their arms linked, directed to the bookshop. The blond had seen some interesting books about the outside world in the shop's window, and Eren was intending to buy them all for him.

"Are you sure, Eren? Even just one of them is fine…"

"Nope, I'll buy them all for you. What's the point of having a rich dad if I can't splurge my allowance?"

"You should buy something you like."

"But I like books."

Both boys chuckled.

"Hey nerds."

A voice from an alleyway called. Eren saw them with the corner of his eyes; they were a group of bullies who liked to pick on Armin for his love of literature and his passion about studying. Eren always stood up for him, even if they were three and he was only one.

"Ignore them, Eren." Armin said, afraid for the well-being of his dear brunet.

"What is it Jäger? Did you turn into a chickenshit all of a sudden?"

One of them grabbed Eren by his shirt and dragged him into the alleyway. Eren managed to land a good punch on him, but the other two grabbed him by his arms.

"Eren!" Armin cried, completely at a loss for what to do. He wanted to help him, but he was weak. He had always been, that's why there was alway the need to protect him from Eren's part.

He hated himself. He wanted to be able to save Eren for once, if only he wasn't so powerless.

"Armin, go to the bookshop, I'll catch up to you in no time."

"But Eren!"

"I said go!" He shouted, as he tried to free himself from their grip.

Armin did as he was told.

"Your little fuck buddy is such a chickenshit. Better for us, very bad for you."

The boys turned him around and shoved him against the wall, Eren could feel his eyebrow split and they grinded his face against the stone wall. Two of them were holding his arms right behind his back, while the leader of the group slipped his hand between Eren's thighs.

"What are you doing!"

Eren had always been courageous. He considered himself a fearless person, but dread couldn't escape his heart on the situation he was currently in. He was being held down, unable to move, while that boy he had despised since childhood was taking his painful erection out his pants right in front of him.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. 

Eren knew about sexual assault, but the thought it could ever happened to him never crossed even the back of his mind.

"You've been the bane in my hip since we were little kids, it's about time you repay your debt," He said as he startled unbuckling Eren's belt.

"What the fuck! Stop it!"

The boy before him grunted in pain, before stumbling to the ground. Behind him, stood a trembling Armin with a lead pipe in his hands.

"You little bitch!" The other bully charged against the blond but got a blow to his jaw, that made him stumble and fall. Eren took care of the third one, pushing him to the ground with all the strength he had in his body. 

He grabbed Armin's hand and they rushed out of the alleyway, "Let's go!"

*

"You were awesome back there, Armin."

The blond had one arm around Eren's waist and was holding Eren's hand as he walked him back home. He blushed at his compliment, but didn't feel like he deserved it.

"T-Thank you, but I don't think I was that great. I was trembling like a leaf, I was so scared for you…"

"You still looked like a badass. Not because you weren't afraid, but because you've beaten your fear."

His words went straight to Armin's heart. For once in his life, he felt a tinge of proudness. He didn't want to think what would've happened to his Eren, had he not had the courage to go back in that alleyway.

Eren still had blood dripping from his split brow, and he hated seeing him like that.

"Are you alright though, Eren? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm just a little sore, that's all. I need a good meal and a nap." 

Except for his brow and the bruises that were going to show up on his skin in a few hours , Eren was alright on the outside. But he couldn't shake off the fear and the sorrow in his heart. The situation had left him shaken, and that feeling of dread for being almost violated wasn't going to leave him soon.

He looked at the blond's face with sadness. To think they had planned to go to the bookshop and have a good time before lunch, instead they had to fend off those sexual predators in a dirty alley.

"I will take you to the bookshop this evening, right now I just want to lie down for a while…"

Armin kissed him on the cheek.

"There's no rush Eren, just think about getting better. I'll come visit you after lunch."

"Okay, thank you."

*

When Eren entered his home and his father saw him battered, he paled. Panicked, he rushed to his side, exactly how Eren had anticipated. 

"Eren! Son, are you alright?" He accompanied his son to sit at the table, coddling him as always. It was something Eren hated.

"I am dad, don't worry."

"What happened?"

"I… promise me not to freak out, dad."

"I can't promise you that."

Eren sighed deeply.

"Three guys assaulted me."

"What!"

"I'm fine, dad! I'm fine. I managed to escape before they could do anything to me. Armin helped me, I'm fine, I swear."

"You're not fine, Eren! You're hurt!" Grisha immediately took a napkin, dipped it in a glass full of water, and started cleaning his son's minor wound.

"It's just a scratch and a few bruises."

"I will not have it. I won't let my son out and leave in the fear he could get sexually assaulted!"

Eren rolled his eyes, "What do you suppose I do then?! Lock myself in my bedchambers?"

"You're getting married."

"I… what?"


	2. Trapped

Eren stared at his father mystified. He was frozen, confused, a thousand questions popped up in his mind, leaving him dizzy. Had he heard him correctly? No, he didn't. He couldn't. He must've misheard him.

"What…?" He asked again.

Grisha sighed. This wasn't how he had intended to break the news to his son.

"Nile Dok asked me for your hand in marriage, and I will accept his proposal."

Eren slammed his fist on the table, "Excuse me, what?! YOU will accept it?! I'm the one who will do the accepting or denying here! And guess what? It's the latter!"

"Eren, he will be able to protect you! Once you're married, you won't have to think about getting attacked anymore."

"I can protect myself!"

"Don't be irrational! No matter how strong you are, if more than one person attacks you, you can't win!"

Eren never felt more affronted in his life.

"I can't win?! Do I need to remind you that I just did?!"

"And do you want to keep living like that?! Without being able to walk on the street freely, always on guard for when someone might try to assault or kidnap you?!"

"I'd rather live my life fighting every day than to be shoved in a golden cage with a man I don't love!"

Grisha fell back on the chair, letting go of a long sight while covering his eyes with his hand, "Why are you so stubborn, son? You have everything to gain from this union."

"No, I have everything to lose!" Eren screamed, before running to the door, "I will not marry him! I will not! I'd rather die than marry that man!"

"Eren! Where are you going, lunch is almost ready."

"I'm not hungry!"

"Step outside that door and you'll regret it!"

Eren complied, barely holding back the tears. Not that he was afraid of defying his father, he just realized he had nowhere to go. Armin was probably having lunch with his family, and it's not like he had many other friends beside him. 

He could've gone to Reiner Braun; he was an eighteen years old boy who had been working as a servant in his house since Eren was twelve, and was like an older brother to him. But the boy was probably still working at this hour, and he didn't want to disturb him.

Eren went to sit in his seat, waiting for lunch to be served, feeling his stomach clench with every passing second. Tears started spilling without him doing anything. He heard his father get up from his seat, walking up to him to hold him close to his chest.

"My child… don't cry. I promise you, married life won't be that bad. You'll still be able to do everything you're doing now, you will just be more protected."

"And I'll live in another house. And I'll have to warm the bed of a man I don't love."

"Happiness and love will come with marriage. Nile is a good man, you'll learn to love him."

His father's words made Eren's skin crawl. Before his mother's untimely death when he was only ten years old, Eren had always thought his parents' marriage was like the one of a fairy tale. They fell in love, got married, and from that love Eren was born.

The thought that their union, which he was the product of, could have been just a disgusting arranged marriage, made his head spin. His whole world was being out upside down even more.

"Learn to love him…?! Did you have to... learn to love mom?" he asked, even if he was afraid of his answer.

His father had a nostalgic smile.

"No Eren… I loved your mother long before I married her."

"Then why don't you want that for me?! Why can't I marry someone I love?!"

He was relieved by his father's answer, but it was short lived.

"I don't want you to suffer like your mother did," he said, caressing his son's cheek, "You inherited all her beauty from her. No, you're even more beautiful. Your late mother suffered a great deal before your grandparents entrusted her to me. I want you to be protected before anything happens to you."

"So I take it that it was mom the one who had to _learn to love_ you?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Her parents knew I was the right one for her. Just like I know Nile is the right one for you."

"How do you know that! He's like twenty years older than me, and he gives me the creeps!"

"That's because you don't know him."

"If you absolutely have to marry me off, can't you choose someone else?"

He would have rebelled anyway, but anyone, literally everyone in Shiganshina would have been a better candidate that Nile Dok. His mother used to hate it whenever he was in their house. He told Eren countless times to never remain alone with him. He never understood why she held such contempt for the man, but he knew she must've had her reasons. And her feelings of uneasiness passed down to little Eren, who absorbed her feelings like a sponge.

"Eren, trust your father's judgement. You will be happy with Nile."

Eren had to force himself to go through lunch, but he felt like vomiting with every bite he took.

His thoughts went to his sweet, late mother. Did she have to go through what he was going through? Did she feel repulsed at the thought of marrying his father, of sharing the bed with him? 

His parents seemed so in love. Was it always like that?

His mother might have fallen in love with his father, but he could never, ever fall in love with Nile Dok.

His heart belonged to Armin, and nothing could change that.

*

"Armin!" 

The blond was exactly where he knew he'd found him. Under the shadow of their favorite tree, for a little coolness on that hot day of summer, with a book placed on the grass.

Armin shot up on his feet when he heard the urge in his beloved's voice. Something was wrong. He could feel it, he could feel it even before Eren crashed into his arms and started sobbing on his shoulder.

"Eren! What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"My dad is out of his fucking mind! He gave my hand in marriage to Nile Dok!"

"He did what…?!"

"He decided without consulting me, without my consent…! How could he do this to me? How can he give me away to that horrible man?!!"

Armin couldn't believe it. He had always thought highly of Mister Jäger, but that decision he took completely lacked sense. He believed that sons and daughters should be able to take their own decisions, then why was he contradicting everything he believed in, now? Why was he taking such an important decision for Eren's life in his place?

"Maybe we should try talking to him? Tell him that we love each other?"

"I'm not sure that would solve anything… After I told him I almost got raped, he panicked. He said he wants to give me away to someone powerful who can protect me. If it's not Nile it will be another bastard I don't love…"

Armin's eyes saddened, "Someone who can protect you… surely not the son of fishermans like me…"

Eren was almost giving into desperation, when his visage enlightened, a smile rapidly expanding on his face, "But you can protect me! You just did today!"

Armin smiled. He did it back then, he stroked two guys down with that lead pipe. He had protected Eren, and he could do it again, "We need to talk to your father."

"Yes, let's go!"

Eren took Armin's hand and together they started walking.

*

When the two sweethearts made it to Eren's mansion, Grisha had his doctor bag in his hand and his hat in the other, ready to leave for work.

"Father?"

"Eren, Armin." He smiled warmly at his son's childhood friend,"It's a pleasure to have you here as always. Did Eren already tell you the great news?" 

The two boys exchanged a brief glance, their joined hands tightening against one another.

"Me and Armin wanted to talk to you about something."

"I was about to leave, we can talk about it over dinner when I'm back. You'll be our guest, right Armin?"

"Dad, it's urgent."

Grisha knew there was no winning with his son. He put his hat and bag on the table, while he sat down.

"Okay. Just don't take long, son."

"I love Armin. I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Eren stared lovingly into those big blue eyes, the same lovingly stare that Armin had. It was like they were the only two people in the room.

"And I love Eren. I want to spend the rest of my days taking care of him and protecting him."

Eren had expected his father to say something at that point, but Grisha kept quiet, staring at the two younglings with a stoic, unreadable expression.

"Dad, listen. I know you want me to marry someone who can protect me, and Armin can! Yesterday he was the one who saved me. I would have gotten raped if it wasn't for him. There's no one better than him who I could marry."

Grisha didn't say a word. He got back on his feet, put his hat on his head, took his bag in his hand and walked up to Armin. His demeanor had completely changed, there was no trace of that warm smile anymore.

"You. Get out of my house. NOW! I don't want to see you near my son ever again!"

"But Mister Jäger, I-"

"I said OUT!"

"Why are you throwing him out?! Dad, you've completely lost your mind!"

Armin kissed Eren on the cheek before turning to the door weakly, but Eren didn't let go of the blond's hand.

"You're not leaving! You're staying here!"

"Eren, I will only anger your father more if I stay," he whispered in his ear, "I will think something up."

Eren watched as Armin's fingers that were interlaced with his own slowly slipped away as the boy left his home.

"Dad you can't do this!"

Grisha didn't heed the tears in his son's eyes, didn't need the canine snarl that revealed his gritted teeth.

"Reiner! Reiner!" He called, austere and cold, almost like his son wasn't in the room.

"You are ruining my life! What would mom think of you!? She would never force me to get married! She hated Nile's guts too!"

Eren screamed and screamed at his father's face, and the man just let him. He could scream until scratching his throat, he was never going to change his mind. He only stopped screaming until Reiner walked in.

"Did you call, Master Jäger?" he said, confused by the situation. He had heard Eren screaming but couldn't make out anything he said, and the scene that unraveled before him was even more confusing. Eren was crying, while his father was cold, unfeeling, like a stone sculpture.

"Reiner, take Eren back to his bedchambers and lock him in. Make sure he doesn't leave until I get back!"

"Yes, sir." He obeyed, even though he did not understand his order.

Reiner took the crying Eren gently from his arm and led him to his bedchambers. The brunet didn't resist, he knew it was useless, Reiner was big and bulky, way more than him. And he didn't want to hurt the boy, just like he didn't want to hurt him.

*

As soon as they were in Eren's bedchambers, the latter started sobbing on the older boy's chest.

"Reiner you need to help me! Please help me get out of here!"

"I can't do that. Your father will kill me."

Eren dried his own tears, pulling away from the comfort of Reiner's chest.

"You're right, I'm sorry… I was selfish."

The older boy hated seeing him so downhearted, the light in his emerald eyes dimmed. 

"But maybe I can sneak Armin in here."

Green light went back to those gems, "You can do that?"

"I can't promise you I can, but I'll try."

Eren threw his arms at Reiner's neck, holding him in a tight embrace, "Thank you!"

The blond servant relished in his affection, holding him close as long as he could. He only let go when Eren pulled away.

"I have to lock you in, now. I'm sorry…"

"It's okay… I don't want you to get in trouble with my dad."

Once Reiner left locking the door behind him, Eren threw himself on the soft mattress, and imagined he was laying on the grass instead, with Armin by his side and a couple of books surrounding them.


	3. One Way Out

Reiner had spent a good amount of time running around the town seeking for the tiny blond, and now that the sun was almost going down, he had finally found him, in front of the bookshop, clutching a book to his chest.

"Armin!"

"Reiner?" The boy turned around meekly, while drying away his silent tears.

"I finally found you!" Reiner stopped to catch his breath before continuing, "Master Jäger locked Eren in his bedchambers."

"Oh no…"

"I can help you sneak in. Eren wants to see you, he's been crying desperately."

"Say no more, let's go."

They started going at a fast pace.

"Armin, do you know anything about this? I heard Eren scream at his father, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. What happened to make Master Jäger act like that?"

"He gave Eren's hand in marriage to Nile Dok."

"Damn… no wonder Eren was so mad."

*

The raven haired lawyer was working silently in his office, the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the clock, until the maid knocked on his office door.

"Master Dok, Doctor Jäger is at the door and wants to have a word with you."

"I had expected him to visit soon. Let him in, Clara."

The woman left to return a few minutes later, with the doctor behind her.

"Grisha, what a pleasure to have you here," he said with a toothy smile. The man standing before him couldn't share the same joy, for it had costed him his son's scorn to be there in front of Nile with the news he had to bring him.

"I thought about your proposal, Nile, and I have made a decision. I decided to entrust my son, my most precious jewel to you. Please, take good care of him."

Nile raised from his luxurious armchair, with a one sided smile he could barely contain.

"I knew you would have made the right decision, my friend. Take a seat."

While Grisha took the seat in front of the desk, Nile searched through his numerous bookshelves, but it didn't take long to find what he was looking for; after all, he knew exactly where it was. He just pretended not to remember.

"Let's see, let's see… oh! Here it is!" He said, as he took a folder and walked back to his desk.

"I had prepared the contract beforehand. We can sit down and discuss it right away if it's alright with you."

"Yes. Tell me everything."

The lawyer didn't even have the time to put the document on the desk that the impatient doctor had already taken a pen in his hand.

"Don't you want to read it first?" Nile asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Most of it is just a formality. I've been married, I know how these contracts work."

Nile did his best to refrain himself from snorting, his friend's naivete was almost unbelievable.

"There's just a very important clause you need to know. In the case the bride isn't a virgin, the husband will receive a conspicuous amount from the bride's family, as compensation for moral damage. But we don't need to worry about that. Eren is still a virgin, right?"

"Of course he is. Where do I sign?"

Nile opened the document to the last page.

"Right here. One signature, and me and your son will be wed a month from now."

The pen hovered above the piece of paper, sweat dripping down Grisha's forehead. He thought about what happened before in his house, pictures of Eren and Armin holding hands came to mind. He couldn't have possibly lost his virginity to Armin, right? Eren might have loved his childhood friend, but he had taught his son from a young age he needed to stay pure until marriage. And Eren had always taken the teachings of his parents to heart.

"What's wrong, Grisha? It seems like you're doubting your son's purity."

"No. I know he's pure. There's nothing to worry about. I was just thinking… maybe Eren is too young. Maybe we should wait a couple of years…"

"A couple of years that your son will remain without protection."

"You're right… you're right, we can't afford to wait that long." With no more doubts in his heart, he signed the contract. Even if Eren wasn't a virgin and he had to pay the compensation, it didn't matter to him. He would've paid any amount for Eren to stay safe.

"Good, good…"

Grisha didn't see the sinister smirk Nile had plastered on his face as he wrote his name on the cursed document.

*

Reiner made Armin enter from the kitchen, which was empty at that hour. Carefully, the bully teen walked up the stairs and when he was sure no other servants were around, he gestured to Armin to follow him upstairs. 

Dodging the maids that went in and out the rooms upstairs hadn't been easy, but the two boys made it somehow and were now in front of Eren's door.

Reiner took out the keys and unlocked the door trying to make as little sound as possible.

When the two entered, Eren was laying on his king sized bed, face buried into the pillow as his shoulders shook slightly from his sobs. When Reiner closed the door, Eren raised his head from the soft pillows and smiled brightly when his eyes fell on the blue eyed blond.

"Armin…!"

They both sprinted toward each other, Armin threw his arms around Eren and the latter took him by his waist, spinning him around in the air, before putting him back on the ground to kiss him.

Reiner looked at them with a sad smile.

"I'll stay out here as a guard."

"Thank you, Reiner!" Eren smiled at him with eyes full of gratitude.

"Thank you." Armin too was keen on expressing his gratitude.

"Master Jäger will probably be back in an hour, I'll come to sneak you out of here before that."

"Yes, thanks again Reiner."

Reiner gave them a small smile before exiting and locking the door again.

Now that they were finally alone, they started caressing each other's faces, Armin brushed Eren's messy hair away from those puffy eyes.

Eren hoisted the blond up, who let go of a small yelp of surprise, then he dropped him on the soft mattress. When he kissed him, both of them noticed the other's lips were soft after so much crying. They kissed until they were out of breath, it was only then that Eren pulled away and collapsed on top of Armin, laying his head in the crook of his neck.

"What are we ever gonna do now?"

"Maybe we could try talking to your father again, after he's calmed down?"

"That's not gonna work. He's being more stubborn than me and mom combined."

Armin sighed as he ran his fingers through Eren's hair.

"We need to run away together. That's the only solution."

Eren bolted up in a sitting position, "I'm not going to run away like a criminal! I did nothing wrong!"

Armin too raised himself to a sitting position, but more calmly. He then encircled his arms around Eren.

"Don't think of it as an escape, think of it as an adventure. We wanted to leave the walls together after all, right? Just you and me. In the outside world, like we always dreamed of."

Eren pressed their foreheads together, closing his eyes, "That would be so sweet…"

They felt so blissful, for an endless moment. Eyes closed, feeling each other's breath on their skin, smelling the scent of each other's skin. Armin always smelled of lavender, and Eren of chocolate and vanilla, like the pastries he loved so much to eat.

"How long until you get married?"

"I don't know, father hasn't told me…"

"One month. All we need is one month. If the marriage is decided before that, try to take time."

Eren tilted his head to the side, looking at him with puzzled eyes, "What can we do in a month?"

"We can build a hot air balloon! My parents had finished working on a prototype before they passed away."

Eren raised his eyebrows, mouth wide and corners curled into a smile.

"A hot air balloon? Like the one you showed me in your book?"

"Yes! We could fly beyond the walls with that! No one will ever find us!"

Eren was in love with the idea. But reality soon gripped him by the feet to bring his head back to the earth and out of the clouds.

"We'll never see our families or our other friends again… are you really prepared to leave all of this behind? Just for me?"

Armin cupped his chin gently and kissed his rosy lips.

"Yes, Eren. You're the most important person to me. And I'm sure my grandfather will understand. All he wants is for me to be happy."

Eren's eyes filled with sorrow.

"Wish I could say the same about my father… he doesn't care about my happiness, as long as he can keep me sheltered."

Armin laid kisses on his shoulder, arms clutching around the brunet to comfort him.

*

The sun was halfway down behind the walls when Eren's father came back home. Reiner had helped Armin get out through the window, before Mister Jäger called him to give him the order of letting Eren out of his room.

"I have great news," he said once his son had joined him downstairs, "I signed your premarital contract, and Nile will come to dinner to celebrate! Go take a bath with lavender salts, I told Hannah to iron your best clothes. You need to look your best tonight." 

"I can do that. But don't expect me to smile, father, Eren said, apathetically.

"The wedding will be a month from now. You'll grow fond of the idea."

"I don't think so."

Eren gave his back to his father and walked upstairs to get ready.

*

Eren took the bath, soaking in the water for no longer than thirty minutes. He did everything mechanically, like a puppet without a soul. He dried his body, put on his beige trousers and a silk white button up shirt, tied his silk cravat around his neck, sprayed a little bit of perfume on, brushed his hair and finally, he walked downstairs. His future husband had already arrived, and he was chatting idly with his father in the living room.

The two men were sipping on red wine, smiling, and it made Eren's blood boil how happy they were about having played with his life like he was a toy.

Nile noticed Eren's presence and smiled at him. A shiver ran down Eren's spine.

The man got up from the sofa, and the more he walked closer to Eren, the more the boy got defensive and felt like kicking him in the face.

"Here he is, my beautiful future bride," he said as he took Eren's hand and kissed it. Eren felt his skin scorching. After dinner, he was undoubtedly going to wash it until it bled.

"Thank you for letting me have the honor of having your hand in marriage."

"I think you should thank my father." Eren's tone was dead, deprived of any feeling.

"Dinner will be ready shortly. We should take our places at the dinner table." Grisha said, to break the tension.

The meal consisted of all Eren's favorites dishes, probably a way of his father to ask for his forgiveness, but for the brunet, it was going to take much more than that. 

For the whole evening, Nile and his father talked of boring, tedious things that only the two of them took interest in. What Eren hated the most, was how they often talked about him like he wasn't in the room. They only acknowledged his presence when asking him questions from time to time, to which Eren answered mechanically.

Suddenly, he didn't feel so bad about leaving his father anymore. He actually couldn't wait to get rid of his parent. He was going to miss Reiner more than him. Hannah, the housekeeper that raised him, and his friend Reiner were the only two people he was sad of leaving behind.


	4. Conspiracy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I've been trying to update one chapter a day and make it more or less 2k words each, this chapter shower was a little harder to write and it's little longer. I'll try returning to that initial schedule now. It's a lot of work so I'd appreciate it if you guys would leave a comment ❤️

Armin and Eren had been working on the hot air balloon day and night, and they had finally finished just a few days prior Eren's wedding. They would have left at dawn, the very morning of the wedding.

It had become a habit for Nile to come to his house for dinner, every evening the same old tedious story. His father and future husband would drink, chat, discuss, and Eren would be sitting there bored to death. Usually, he would excuse himself after dinner to go to bed, pretending to be exhausted. He would get a few hours of sleep, the necessary for Nile to leave and his father to fall asleep soundly, and then he would sneak out the window to go help Armin with the hot air balloon, or just to spend time with him now that they had finished.

But not that night.

That was the night before his wedding. He was holed up in his room, and he could still hear his father and Nile laughing and talking loudly. If those were the effects of alcohol, he sure as hell wasn't going to ever try it.

He stood at his desk, pensive. That was the last night he was ever going to spend in his house. The home that bored and raised him, the home that held his most beloved memories of his late mother. The only thing he had bought with him of her, was her favorite golden necklace and a small portrait. He couldn't bring too much luggage with him, just something to remind him of home and a few necessary things like clothes. Everything was already in the hot air balloon, so he wouldn't have had any baggage while escaping his house.

The only thing that was left to do, was leaving his father a letter.

_My Dear Father,_

_When you'll read this letter I'll already be flying high above these lands. I had to leave. I cannot marry that man, I don't love him and I never will. I won't live in the golden cage you want for me, my place is in the world outside._

_You've forced me to take this decision, but I forgive you._

_I hope one day you can forgive me. I love you._

_Eren_

He put down his pen, sighing deeply. That was his last goodbye to his father. The next morning when he would have woken up, Eren wasn't going to be there anymore.

He wished he could have hugged his father one last time, but because of Nile being there at dinner, he couldn't. _Goodnight son_. Those were the last words his father had said to him.

*

Grisha and Nile were still eating to their heart's content when the housekeeper entered the room, looking pale as a ghost.

"Hannah? Is everything alright?"

"Master Jäger, Darius Zackly is at the door and would want to have a word with you," She said, almost out of breath from the shock.

"The judge Zackly? What could he want at this hour?" 

"Y-Your son. A charge has been filed against him."

"A charge? Against my son? That's ridiculous! There must have been a mistake."

"I'm afraid there isn't, Doctor Jäger." Darius Zackly in flesh and bones walked in, followed by two people to whom Grisha didn't pay too much attention too in that moment, his shock was too great.

"Your son Eren Jäger is being accused of fornication and harlotry."

Grisha almost wanted to laugh. That situation was too bizarre to believe.

"Is this a joke? My son would never do such things."

"These two gentlemen here would beg to differ. You already know both of them, mister Jäger, don't you?"

The two stepped forward, and Grisha didn't know who of the two he was more surprised to see.

One of them was Reiner, his own servant. The boy was hunched, his eyes staring at the floor, almost as if he was feeling ashamed of being there. And Grisha thought he rightfully should have been. Slandering Eren, the boy he had grown up with? It was absolutely despicable.

And the other was Keith Shadis, a longtime friend of his. They had been really close in youth, but after he got married, they had grown distant, like it usually happens with old friendships once you step into adulthood. Still, they had mutual respect and trust for each other. How could he come into his house and make accusations like those towards his beloved son?

It was that mutual respect and trust that brought Grisha to address him first, "Keith, what is the meaning of this?"

"I have slept with Eren several times."

Grisha gritted his teeth, wanting to grab his former friend by the collar and throw him against the wall, but he knew it would only have made the situation worse.

"Keith, you damn bastard! What the hell are you saying?!"

"He seduced me! He knew I was in love with his mother, who's he's the spitting image of. He took advantage of that."

Nile looked at the doctor with a snarl, "Grisha, you lying swine! You had assured me my future bride was pure!"

"He is! These are just vile calumnies!"

"Gentlemen, please. we need to confront Eren about this situation," Zackly informed them.

"My son is sleeping, I won't let you wake him. Tomorrow is a very important day for him."

Nile scoffed, "There won't be any wedding tomorrow if we don't clarify this situation."

"Nile?"

"I'm not marrying a potential whore."

"You know Eren! For crying out loud, he's your fiance! You know he's not capable of something like that!"

"That's what I want to believe. If they're lying, tomorrow they'll be put to jail for slander, while we'll be celebrating my wedding with Eren."

Grisha sighed. He knew the bargain was reasonable enough. He really didn't want to put Eren through this ordeal, but he knew he had no choice.

"Fine, let's go talk to my son. I know he'll be able to prove his innocence."

*

"Eren, son. Open the door, it's urgent."

The boy opened the door, visage still drenched in sleep, and his hair messy from the pillow.

"Father?" he said, drowsily. When he noticed there were other people with him, he flustered and felt bashful about being seen with only his thin night robe.

Especially since he couldn't recognize one of them, and the others were people he wasn't much acquainted with. 

Keith Shadis, who was an MP and an old friend of his father. He couldn't recall talking to him a single time, but since he heard a rumor he was in love with his mother, he started giving Eren the creeps. He knew he resembled his mother greatly, and he could sense it every time he crossed Shadis on the streets and he looked at him.

He looked at him like a wolf looked at his prey.

Then there was Nile, who he was accustomed to but that didn't mean he was happy about him seeing him in his nightwear.

With the third being a complete stranger, the only person he felt comfortable being around, beside his father, was Reiner. They had seen each other in their respective underwear often, they were basically like siblings.

He wondered why all those people were there. Did they want to give him their congratulations for the wedding? He hoped they would be quick because he really needed some sleep. 

"Father, what is it?"

"Eren…" Grisha wanted to explain the situation to his son, but the words died in his throat. He felt a lump that almost prevented him from breathing. How was he ever going to repeat to his son, the vile calumnies that had been thrown at him?

"Eren Jäger," Judge Zackly began in a cold and austere tone, "you have been accused of fornication and harlotry. Defend yourself."

Eren blinked at him a couple of times, completely mystified. Mirth erupted from within him as he started laughing. That must've been a joke. He had heard of these kinds of pranks that they threw on the brides the night before the wedding, so it must have been it.

He realized he was deadly wrong when no one else laughed. They all stared at him like he was a lunatic.

"It's a joke, right?" He asked, desperately wanting a confirmation of that. They were just playing him, they probably were trying really hard to keep in their laughter.

"This is no laughing matter. Defend yourself, Eren Jäger."

"Defend myself from what?! From who?! I didn't do anything! Who's trying to slander me like that! I dare them to tell me to my face!"

Keith Shadis stepped forward.

"Very well then. You and I have slept together countless times, don't try to deny it."

Eren felt sick to his stomach.

"What!? In your dreams maybe!"

"Dream? Touching your soft skin was definitely not a dream-" A chill ran through Eren's spine when the old man reached to touch his bare chest, but his father slapped that callous hand away.

"Stay the hell away from my son! Don't even look in his direction!"

"He's lying!" Eren cried, when he snapped out of the shock, "Why would I ever sleep with that man? I never even talked to him!"

"You've been with so many people you hardly remember anymore. But we've been together, you took advantage of your looks to enchant me and extort money from me."

"Money?! Why the hell would I need money from you when my father's rich!"

"So you could buy gifts for your little friend Armin Arlert, who I'm sure you're sleeping with too."

At the mention of Armin, even Grisha turned to look at Eren with disappointed eyes. Eren felt a kind of pain he had never felt before. His own father? His own father was doubting him?

"That's a lie! I used my allowance to buy him things! And I never did something like that with him!"

"But you did it with me." Shadis scanned him from head to toe. There it was again, that stare that gave Eren the creeps.

"Lies! Dad, you believe me, right?" 

He stared at his father for a trace of trust, of anything, in his eyes. He needed to know he believed him, he needed to. But his father wouldn't look at him.

"They're all lies!" He cried again, believing somehow that screaming his innocence to the world would have made the world believe. "I would never do something like that! Especially not with an ugly old man like him!"

Shadis smirked, "What about Reiner Braun, then? He's young and handsome. And he too has something to say."

"I…" Reiner began but the words died in his mouth. He bit his own lip, wanting to draw blood, so great was the stress he was under.

Shadis grabbed the blond by the arm and yanked him to force him to step forward. Reiner was stiff, his jaws clenched. He wanted nothing more but to run from there.

"C'mon boy, don't be afraid. Tell them what you've told me. Tell them how this harlot seduced and brought you to commit ungodly acts with him."

"Reiner…?" Eren's voice was trembling, his eyes filling up with tears. He felt like falling to his knees and bawling his eyes out. He could expect such a libel from an old and creepy man like Shadis, but Reiner? Who was like his own flesh and blood? Was he really gonna slander him like that?

Eren looked into the boy's amber eyes, looking for answers, looking for comfort, with a trust Reiner knew he didn't deserve. He couldn't look into those bloodshot eyes. He stared at the floor, while he reluctantly told his tale.

"It's true. Eren gave himself to me. It happened in the shed behind the house."

"Reiner...?! How could you...! Even you…! I thought you were my friend!" His voice cracked. He couldn't take it anymore, that betrayal hurt him too deeply. He somehow manages to keep himself on his feet, but he couldn't refrain his tears from falling from his eyes.

"That's not all. Tell them the whole story, Reiner."

"I… I gave Eren a necklace in exchange for his favors."

"What? I don't own any necklace, you know I don't like jewelry!"

"Then you won't mind if we search your room, right?" Zackly asked. He seemed to be bored with the whole matter, he just wanted to get it done as quickly as possible. A matter that was ruining Eren's life, for that man it was just a pebble in his shoe.

Eren opened his bedroom door wide, holding his arm up, gesturing them to come inside, with a hard expression painted on his face. The men were astonished to see him so cooperative, but it all played in their favor. The poor innocent soul had no idea of the trap that was prepared for him.

Eren didn't bother to brush his tears away. He wanted them to see how much they were hurting him. He wanted Reiner to see.

He observed the boy in a corner of the room, trying to make himself as small as possible, while he looked everywhere but in Eren's direction.

"Look into my eyes, Reiner. Look into my eyes and say all that again." He said, his voice stable again.

Zackly looked at him with a scornful glare, "Don't torment the boy anymore. You've already done it enough when you charmed him with your vile tricks."

"If he's not lying, why won't he look into my eyes while slandering me like that?"

"Because that's how much you filthy whore disgust him."

Eren clenched his fists. He wanted to retort, he wanted to attack that horrible man and reduce him to a bloody pulp, but he had to stay back while Zackly, Shadis and Nile searched his room.

"How was this necklace, Reiner?" The judge asked.

"I-Its was sterling silver, with an amethyst pendant in the shape of a square."

"Like this one?" Shadis said, taking out a pendant from under Eren's mattress.

"Eren…" the hurt and disappointment in his father's voice teared Eren apart. How could he believe he did something like that? How could he believe it for a second?

"That's not mine! I've never seen this thing before!"

Eren had observed Shadis. He searched around the room shabbily, but at a certain point he went straight to the mattress, like he knew where to look.

"You put that in my room! You did it just now, didn't you!? 

"There's nothing you can come up with to save yourself now, that necklace is proof," Zackly said.

Eren walked up to Reiner and grabbed him by his collar, desperately trying to make eye contact but Reiner wouldn't look at him.

"Reiner, why are you doing this?! Why! You were like a brother to me, you damned bastard…!"

He could hear Reiner whisper a faint _I'm sorry_ before Shadis pulled him away from the boy.

"Don't you dare touch me!" He screamed, walking away from the man, "My mom would hate you for this! This is why she didn't choose you, you're a piece of shit!" Eren bellowed but his cries went completely ignored.

"Like every citizen, this filthy whore has the right to a trial. He'll be examined by a respected midwife, who will be able to tell if he's still a virgin or not. Until then, he will be brought to a dungeon to make sure he doesn't escape."

After Zackly had finished explaining, Shadis took a pair of shackles and approached Eren who, scared, took a step backward.

"What…? No!"

"You can't take him away!" His father pleaded.

Shadis grabbed the brunet by the arm, but Eren was fighting tooth and nail for his freedom, "Let me go this instant!"

"Eren, behave! Don't make this worse!" His father warned him with paines eyes.

"You should've taught your son to behave. Just like you should've taught him to keep his knees together," Zackly taunted him with a sick smile.

Before they could put shackles on him, Eren managed to escape from Keith's clutches to run into his father's arms, that didn't hesitate to open for him. Eren knew that even if a part of him believed he was guilty, he still loved him, he loved him dearly and for that he could be nothing but grateful.

"Dad, don't let them take me away…!" 

He sobbed into his father's chest. Grisha's heart clenched as he stroked his son's brunet hair. Whether those accusations were true or not, it didn't matter. Eren was still his son. He couldn't let him get hurt.

"My son won't sleep in a filthy dungeon. He'll stay here until tomorrow's trial. Get as many MPs around my house as you want to make sure he doesn't run away, but he'll stay here."

"As you wish, Doctor Jäger. Tomorrow before the trial, I'll send Dina Fritz here to examine him. I'll send some MPs shortly, in the meantime, make sure your son doesn't leave his bedchambers."

"I will."

Eren didn't pull away from his father's embrace until all of them were out of his house. Watched them leave with eyes full of anger and fire.

*

Grisha tucked Eren in bed, like he hadn't done since he was very little. The brunet was understandably shaken by the events of that night, and even if he usually hated being treated like a child, he took all the comfort his father was willing to give.

"Eren, tell me the truth. Are you no longer a virgin?"

"Father…?! How can you doubt me…? I am a virgin, I followed what you and mom taught me…!"

"You didn't lie with anyone? Not even with Armin?"

"No of course not! We only went as far as kissing!"

"Okay… I'm sorry I doubted you. I just needed to know. Listen, son… in your premarital contract, there was a clause. In the case you weren't a virgin before the wedding, I was supposed to pay Nile a huge amount of money."

"What…? That's disgusting…! Like I'm some kind of damaged livestock to be sold…!"

"I'm sorry, Eren… I think Shadis was just trying to get his revenge on me, he must've coerced that poor boy Reiner to help him too."

"Revenge?"

"For marrying your mother. He had always been in love with her, but I never thought he resented me to this point."

"So it was just a vendetta…?"

"I believe so. But worry not, tomorrow you'll be examined and everything will be alright."

"Dad… this all seems like a conspiracy to me. I bet Nile is in it too! Please don't make me marry that man!"

"Hush, hush my child. Tomorrow all of this will be resolved. You'll get married and have a happy life. Just get some sleep now.It's going to be alright, Eren."

He kissed him on the cheek before leaving him, taking out the only lighted candle on his way out.

Eren curled up in his bed.

He was doomed. He knew he was doomed.

The judge had called him a filthy whore, he had already given his sentence. The world has already decided he was guilty.

The next morning a midwife was going to examine him to testify if he was a virgin or not. But Shadis had lied. Even his trusted Reiner had lied. What guaranteed the midwife wouldn't lie too?

It was like the whole world was conspiring against him.

They were never going to believe him. All of them already deemed him as a harlot. As a filthy whore. Those words were already branded on his skin with a hot iron, and they hurt. Too much for him to bear.

There was no life for him in Shiganshina anymore. He knew that, but now he was sure more than ever.

That had to be a conspiracy! But who was conspiring against him, and why, he had no idea.

_It's going to be alright, Eren._

Were those going to be the real last words his father said to him? Eren didn't know anymore. At that point, he could never be certain of anything. 

All he knew was that he needed to run. Fast, and as far away from Shiganshina as possible.


	5. Run With Me

Eren felt the moist grass under his bare feet. The damp, hot air of that summer night stuck to his skin as he ran toward his lover's house. 

When he made it to the small house on the top of the hill, he could see the lights were already out. He had imagined, or hoped for, a faint candlelight coming out of Armin's bedroom, for the boy to read a book even the night before their big journey. But Armin had been responsible, going to bed early so he'd have enough energy for the next morning.

It didn't matter. He needed to wake him up now.

He slammed his fist against the window, and saw the blond jerk in his sleep.

"Armin! Armin! Open up!" He cried desperately. The other boy rubbed his sleepy eyes, lighting up a candle before going to open the window.

"Eren…? Is something wrong…?"

"Change of plans, we need to leave, NOW!"

"Eren, you're trembling. Come inside."

The brunet was terrified. Judge Zackly had said they were going to send MPs to his house, by now they must have noticed he was missing.

"Armin, we need to leave, there's no time! This is the first place they'll come look for me!"

Armin hopped out the window with the candle in his hand, and with his free hand he held Eren's, "Come with me."

His eyes were full of determination. He led Eren to the outdoor trapdoor that led to his family's basement. It was small, so the candlelight was enough to lighten the whole place. It smelled of fish and salt and wine, and all the other food they kept stored in there. As little kids, they would always hide there when playing hide and seek with their other friends, and they never once were found. Eren felt safe enough being there that his trembling subdued, but didn't stop completely.

After putting the candle down, Armin made Eren sit down one of the crates.

He took Eren's face in his hands and gave him a quick kiss before kneeling down before him, his hands on the brunet's knees.

"You're shaking like a leaf. What happened?"

"A-Armin, I was sleeping a-and then they knocked on my door t-they accused me of being a w-whore, Reiner was i-i-in it too! That traitor was in it too and I'm sure Nile started it, they're conspiring against me, they're all conspiring against me-"

Eren was stammering, shooting words faster than a machine gun and Armin had to stop him.

"Eren!" He took his face into his hands again, forcing the brunet to look at him into the eyes. Armin knew Eren well. Everytime he had a panic attack, the only way of grounding him was through comforting touches.

Eren's trembling body stilled when he looked into those big eyes of a comforting blue.

"Wait, Eren, slow down. Tell me everything from the start."

Eren took a few slow breaths, aided by Armin who did the same with him.

"Darius Zackly, Keith Shadis and Reiner knocked on my door. They accused me of fornication and harlotry…!"

"What…? Reiner did that…?"

"I think they've coerced him somehow. My father believes it too. He said he gave me an amethyst necklace for my favors. And someone put an amethyst necklace under my bed…! I bet it was Shadis."

"They fabricated proofs… but why?"

Armin's brain was already in motion, making hypotheses and exploring every possibility to try to explain why that happened.

Eren was so happy Armin had believed him without a second thought. After seeing the distrust in his father's eyes, it was everything that he needed.

"Even Shadis lied, he said I slept with him for money…!"

Eren felt like he was about to cry, whether it was for anger or frustration, he didn't know.

"That man is creepier than we thought…" Armin had been the first to notice the hungry eyes Shadis gawked at Eren with. Eren hadn't realized, until he told him. From that day on, they had both been wary of Shadis. Now they knew they were right.

"Armin… this is so scary! Why is all of this happening to me? Why are they doing this to me?"

The blond gave his thigh a light squeeze to reassure him, before voicing his first hypothesis. "Maybe it was Nile? Maybe he found out about our plan and wanted to prevent you from escaping? How did you escape from them anyway?"

"My father bargained for me, he obtained the permission for me to stay in my own home until tomorrow's trial instead of the dungeons. But I know this is a trap, that's why I ran away. The judge said they would send MPs to my home for surveillance… they must have noticed my absence by now."

Armin exhaled softly from his nose, thinking of what to do.

"This is bad. Maybe you should go back before making your situation worse…"

"I'm not going back!" Eren snapped, "They've already decided I'm guilty!"

"Eren, if we don't clarify this situation, your father might get in trouble. This will bring shame upon him."

"I don't care! He put me in this situation! It's all his fault!"

Armin could understand him, but he was acting on impulses. He didn't want his beloved to do anything he might have regretted in the future.

"He's still your dad. And do you really want to leave before proving your innocence? You're a virgin, there's nothing to be afraid of. They'll have you examined by a midwife to prove your virginity, right?"

"Armin, Reiner lied. Our Reiner! What makes you believe the midwife won't lie too?"

The blond pressed his lips in a hard line, "That's a good point…"

"It's not all. My dad signed a premarital contract, there was a clause… if I'm not a virgin, my future husband will get a big amount of money as compensation."

"A clause…"

"My father believes this is all Keith's vendetta. Because he was in love with my mom and now he wants my father to pay… he wants to see him in ruin, but my father is willing to pay the price as long as I marry Nile. I don't want to pay for someone else's! I did nothing wrong! And neither did my father! My grandparents would have never entrusted my mother to that creep, they did well in entrusting her to my father. I wish he had the same common sense they had…! Nile is just as much of a creep…!"

Armin let Eren vent, and once he was done, he exposed his doubts to him.

"Eren…the charges were fornication and harlotry. If you're declared guilty of harlotry, you'll be driven from the town."

"I know…"

"If it was just for the clause, why accuse you of harlotry? Accusing you of sleeping with them would have been enough, why say you did it for money and jewelry?"

Fornication wasn't a crime per se, sure it was going to bring shame on Eren's family, thanks to the clause his father would've gone bankrupt, but why accuse him of harlotry? Why did they want him out of town?

"I told you Armin, they're conspiring against me! I'm really scared for my life…"

"Maybe we should try talking to Reiner. If it's true that they've coerced him, maybe he'll be able to tell us something more."

"I don't know… he whispered to me that he was sorry, but… if they're blackmailing him, I don't think he'll tell us anything."

"Eren… do you know which midwife will examine you?"

Shiganshina currently had three. And Armin had a bad feeling about this.

"Dina Fritz."

"Oh no… no no no, this is bad. Eren, Dina was in love with your father. She probably hates you!"

Eren paled.

"Are you kidding me?! How did my parent's marriage enrage all these people!? I wasn't even born and I'm caught up in this shit!"

Just like Eren, Carla was very loved in Shiganshina. Loved, and coveted. For all Armin had learned from his grandfather, Grisha only had Dina as an admirer.

Their union harbored so much envy and resentment, and the fruit of that resentment was poisoning Eren's life.

Paying for somebody else's sin was the ultimate injustice.

Eren didn't deserve paying it.

Armin grabbed Eren's hand and pulled him with him out of the basement, "You were right Eren, we need to leave."

It was like a boulder had just been lifted from Eren's chest. But he couldn't relax yet. He would have, only once him and Armin were high up in the clouds.

They had just left the basement when Armin stopped in his tracks, turning slowly toward his house.

"Armin? Something wrong…?"

"I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to my grandfather…" the blond realized, "I was planning to do it in the morning before we left…"

Eren felt terribly guilty.

"I'm sorry… maybe you could wake him up now?"

He had left him a letter just in case they didn't see each other that morning, although it wasn't the same as doing it in person.

But with Eren's life at stake, he couldn't worry about that.

"It doesn't matter, we can't lose one second, the MPs might find you!"

*

Eren and Armin held onto each other's hands tightly, and started running towards the place where they had hidden their hot air balloon. It was a field right next to the wall that not many people visited, since it was arid and nothing could grow out of it.

Their escape vehicle was hidden under big green sails, so it would mimic the green grass from afar, impossible to be found by an eye that was ignorant of it being there. Walking to that spot could take half an hour, even by running they wouldn't have made it before twenty minutes.

They didn't make it that far.

Just five minutes away from Armin's home a carriage belonging to the military police blocked their way. Five MPs jumped out of it, surrounding the two boys. Eren and Armin formed a back to back position, still holding onto each other's hand tight.

"Dead end, harlot." The last soldier to come out of the carriage was Keith Shadis, who had a cold and cruel mien.

"Armin-" he started whispering from over his shoulder.

"Don't tell me to run, I'm not going to."

"There's five of them and two of us!"

"We did well with three, this is the next level."

"These are trained soldiers!"

"Then we'll have to outwit them."

Armin had a look in his eyes that said leave it to me, as they finished their silent conversation. Eren gawked at him; did he already have something up his sleeve? Or was he going to?

"You were planning to escape, weren't you, whore?" Shadis spat, with disdain.

"No I was not!"

"And don't call him whore, you pig!"

That earned Armin a backslap. It caused his lip to bleed and Eren saw red. When he saw the brunet's gritted teeth, he knew he wanted to attack but held him back. This couldn't be solved with a fight, he needed to think something up.

"Then explain this letter my subordinates found in your room?" The man smiled wickedly, "You know exactly what this is, right?"

The goodbye letter he had left for his father. He should've thrown that thing away before escaping! It had been his undoing.

Shadis grabbed the brunet from his arms and tried dragging him along, but Armin put his arms around Eren from his back, to try to keep him close to him.

"Wait! Let's talk about it first! Eren is innocent, what proof do you have against him!?"

"Enough proof, boy!" He managed to snatch the boy away from Armin's frail as quite easily, but Eren wasn't going to give up.

"We spend all our time together, he wouldn't have the time to sleep around!"

"Nothing will save this filthy whore from spending the night in the dungeon, not his father, not any god!" 

It took three military police soldiers to restrain Eren and finally put shackles on him.

There was no time to think of a plan.

"Let him go!" Armin launched himself on the soldier in a desperate attack,but the latter kicked him in the stomach and in less than a second, he found himself laying on his back on the damp soil, all breath knocked out of his lungs.

"Stay out of this, boy!" He spat as they dragged Eren inside the carriage.

"If you want to be thrown in the dungeon with this slut, just say it!"

Armin was almost tempted to follow him to hell, at least he would've been alone. But from inside the carriage, Eren was shaking his head, pleading him to save himself at least.

Armin remained silent.

"That's what I thought." The soldiers then slammed the door shut.

Armin felt a tremendous amount of rage when he saw the carriage leaving. Eren was being taken away and he hadn't been able to do a thing! He hated his own weakness, he wanted to assault those MPs and carve their eyes out, but he knew he was only going to get more hurt.

Violence wouldn't do. He needed to use his brains. 

_Think. Goddamnit Armin, think!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who read the book this story was based on, you know what's coming next. For those who know and those who don't alike, I apologize in advance.


End file.
